Crested geckos are among those reptiles that can change color depending on various factors. One such change can be why your crested gecko may appear pale from time to time.
Crested geckos come in a lot of patterns and colors, and these patterns and colors are called morphs.
Crested geckos come in a lot of morphs and they change their colors as they grow and go through different phases of development.
They can get darker and they can get paler too – it can happen naturally or due to their environment.
Why Is Your Crested Gecko Pale?
There are 4 reasons why your crested gecko may go pale.
Shedding
If you have had a crested gecko for quite some time or if you have been an enthusiast about reptiles, you’ll know that shedding is a very common and routine part of their lives. Crested geckos shed regularly.
So, just before your crested gecko undergoes shedding, it may go pale and even become grey. It is completely normal for your crested gecko to go pale or grey when it sheds.
Your crested gecko’s color will return to normal within a few days after shedding.
Changes in the Mood Can Cause Pale Coloration
As a general rule of thumb, the paler and duller your crested gecko gets, the more relaxed and settled into its environment your crested gecko is. This process is called being fired down.
The opposite can also happen. Your crested gecko may become darker in shade relative to its original color.
This is usually a way for your crested gecko to show its emotions – it could be happiness, fear, stress, or aggression. This process is called being fired up.
Environmental Changes
The changes in the natural environment play a big role in whether your crested gecko gets paler or becomes fired up instead.
Generally, crested geckos are paler during the day as this is when they relax, rest, and sleep. During the nighttime, crested geckos become darker in shade.
This can either be because in the wild crested geckos are under the stress of being predated upon during the night, or for camouflaging.
There are no rigid theories as to why crested geckos get fired up during the night.
Age-Related Pale Coloration
During the initial phases of its growth, a crested gecko changes its colors more often.
As it reaches its full maturity around 12 to 24 months, however, your crested gecko will turn to a particular color and retain it for most of its life.
As your crested gecko grows older, it will gradually start becoming paler. It is completely normal for your crested gecko to become paler eventually as it ages.
What To Do When My Crested Gecko Turns Pale?
You have to do absolutely nothing when your crested gecko is turning pale. It might be because your crested gecko is shedding.
If that is the case, then all you have to do is ensure that the humidity and temperature of the enclosure are in the ambient range, and then just let it be.
Within a few days after the shedding ends your crested gecko will get back to its original color.
Even the pale coloration due to aging or day and nighttime changes is completely normal. So, there is nothing that you need to do per se about the pale coloration of your crested gecko.
What Color Should A Crested Gecko Be?
There is no single color for your crested gecko to be in. Crested geckos come in a lot of colors and patterns, and they even change their colors throughout their life.
The pigments of crested geckos can range from very pale cream to very dark and near-black colors.
The one set of colors that is very unlikely to find in crested geckos is the spectrum of blue colors. Crested geckos lack the pigments required to have morphs that are blue or green or purple shades.
The closest found are crested geckos with olive green morphs.
What Colors A Crested Gecko Can Change To And The Meaning Of Each One?
Crested geckos change colors and go from darker to paler shades.
When firing up, a crested gecko gets darker in shade relative to its original color. This happens either during nighttime or when your crested gecko is feeling stressed, aggressive, or sometimes happy and excited.
Crested geckos fire down to become lighter and paler than their original shade.
This happens during the daytime when the crested gecko is relaxed and resting.
Crested gecko hatchlings are usually born bright red or orange, but as they grow, they lose their red shade.
By the time they reach their full maturity somewhere around 12 to 24 months the crested geckos get to the shade that they will retain for most of their life.
During and before shedding your crested gecko may change its color and become paler. However, this change in color is reversed within a few days after the shedding.
Color Changes To Look Out For
While crested geckos keep changing their color throughout their life during various developmental phases.
There are some color changes that you need to look out for as these could mean there is something potentially wrong with your crested gecko’s health.
For example, if the toes and tail of your crested gecko started to become black, it may be an indication of dysecdysis or incomplete shedding.
Many crested geckos either have spots and patterns from birth or acquire them before they reach adulthood.
However, a viral or fungal illness may be at blame if your adult crested gecko develops spots that are typically darker in color than usual. It is essential to see a vet as soon as possible in both situations.
Other Reasons That Make Crested Geckos Change Colors
Some reasons why crested geckos change colors other than the 4 common reasons mentioned above are:
- Viral or fungal infection
- Incomplete shedding
- Different phases of growth (juvenile to adult and adult to old age)
- Firing up around stressors
- Firing down in a relaxed environment
Conclusion
Crested geckos change colors for various reasons.
More often than not, there is no reason to worry about your crested gecko turning pale.
It can be due to shedding or aging, or your crested gecko may just be firing up or down.
However, if you do feel concerned about a strange coloration on your crested gecko, consult a vet to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
